Cars that had the nine slowest qualifying speeds were relegated to these pit stalls. This provides a challenge for the driver, as turn two would normally have the drivers moving to the left side of the track. The first official event at Sears Point was an SCCA Enduro, held on December 1, 1968. The downhill, Carousel, and back hairpin are omitted due to the NASCAR vehicles being unable to handle such tight areas. In the 1970 motorcycle road racing film Little Fauss and Big Halsy, starring Michael J. Pollard and Robert Redford, Redford's character, Halsy, saw Sears Point as the brass ring in the world of racing, and the film was loosely based around that idea. Teams sent only the primary pit crew to Gilligan's Island, and once they were there, they could not access the garage area or their transporters to collect spare parts/tools. During the World Touring Car races, the course used most of the Grand Prix layout except for the full Turn 11 hairpin. Sonoma Raceway opened its doors under its original name, Sears Point Raceway, in 1968, and became the host of various SCCA and other local races. Sonoma Raceway opened its doors under its original name, Sears Point Raceway, in 1968, and became the host of various SCCA and other local races. Born out of the ideas hatched in a Mexican restaurant in Northern California in the late 1960s, Sonoma Raceway has grown from a quaint regional track to one of the largest and most respected motorsports destinations in North America. The course is noted for turns two and three, which are negative-camber ("off-camber") turns, with the inside of the turn higher than the outside. The road course features 12 turns on a hilly course with 160 feet (49 m) of total elevation change. The exit was widened in 2012. Currently it hosts the IndyCar, AMA Superbike, and NHRA series of races, among others. Sonoma Raceway has a permanent seating capacity of 47,000. Sonoma Raceway continues to host amateur, or club racing events with some open to the public. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. In 1985 the track was completely repaved, in part with funds donated from the "Pave the Point" fund raising campaign. The two conceived of the idea of a race track while on a hunting trip. The largest such car club is the Sports Car Club of America. In 2000 Sears Point Raceway gained unanimous approval from the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors by a 50 vote to begin work on a $35 million Modernization Plan that included 64,000 Hillside Terrace seats, repaving of both the road course and drag strip and increased run-off around the entire track. Motorcycles use a 2.22 miles (3.57km), 12-turn course. Over the years, it has hosted a long list of different race series, including Trans Am, IMSA GT, and the ALMS series. This was modified to add a small amount of the hairpin in 2012. Theres no other racers on the track, just you in your pick of one of three racing suits, driving towards the absolutely staggering sunset conditions at Sonoma Raceway. American Motorcycle Association national motocross races in the hills north of Turn 7 became popular with Bay Area fans, but were phased out by the end of the decade because of rising insurance costs. Evacuees seeking RV or tent camping at Sonoma Raceway should enter the campground at Gate 6 on Highway 121, a quarter-mile north of Hwy 37. IndyCar SeriesIndycar Grand Prix of Sonoma(1970, 20052018), AMA SuperbikeSupercuts Superbike Challenge. After a few years, a makeshift auxiliary pit road was constructed inside the hairpin (turn 11) nicknamed Gilligan's Island. Experience unrelenting action in the most beautiful and comprehensive racing game of this generation. The year 2012 saw the end of Infineon as the corporate sponsor, with the track renaming itself Sonoma Raceway. Riverside Raceway was razed for the Moreno Valley Mall. The track was modified in 1998[6], adding the Chute, which bypassed turns 5 and 6 (the Carousel), shortening the course to 1.95 miles (3.14km).